Not one but two Social Investment reports released this week!

Two reports have been released this week that approach the social investment market from different angles.

The first, ‘Best to borrow? A charity guide social investment’ by NPC, walks charities through what social investment is, whether they should take it on, and five broad scenarios when it may be used.

The guide will be hugely useful to charities wanting to learn more about social investment as it covers key topics using simple language, and has a thought provoking section on questions organisations should ask themselves when thinking about taking on social investment.  Download a full copy here.

The second, ‘Lighting the touchpaper. Growing the market for social investment in England’ from the Boston Consulting Group and the Young Foundation is based on research commissioned by Big Society Capital.

It is the first comprehensive, quantitative survey of the emerging social investment market in England and has several interesting findings. 

In terms of intermediaries, the report found that of the £165m invested in 2010, around 70% was secured lending by four social banks.

It also found that of the 30 or so intermediaries, most were running at a loss - with grants being used to fill the gap between earned income and operating costs.  The report cites intermediaries as having high growth expectations, with 75% planning to expand over the next three years, totalling an estimated £650m of new capital.

Six actions are identified as being able to unlock the potential of social investment in England.  Read the report here tosee what they are.